Question: Simplify the following expression: ${-(5x+8)+2(7+9x)}$
Answer: The minus sign in front of the parentheses means we multiply each term inside the first parentheses by ${-1}$ $ {-1(}\gray{5x+8}{)} + 2(7+9x) $ $ {-5x-8} + 2(7+9x) $ Distribute the ${2}$ into the parentheses: $ -5x-8 + {2(}\gray{7+9x}{)} $ $ -5x-8 + {14+18x} $ Rewrite the expression to group the ${x}$ terms and numeric terms: $ {-5x + 18x} {-8 + 14}$ Combine the ${x}$ terms: $ {13x} {-8 + 14}$ Combine the numeric terms: $ {13x} + {6}$ The simplified expression is $13x+6$